Chandrashekhar Azad dares RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to contest elections

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Saturday asked RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat to contest direct elections to test the actual public support for the "Manuvadi" agenda of the Sangh.

Addressing a meeting of Bhim Army workers at the Reshimbaug Ground here, located close to the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) headquarters, Azad demanded a ban on the Sangh to end "Manuvad".

"I want to give a suggestion to the RSS chief. Take out the veil of lies and come to the field. It is a democracy. Contest direct elections with your agenda and people will tell you if 'Manusmriti' or Constitution will run the country," Azad said.

He said the new-citizenship law (CAA), the National Register of Citizens and the National Population Register (NPR) are the "agendas" of the RSS.

In the Dalit narrative, "Manuvad" is based on "discriminatory" 'Manusmriti'--an ancient legal text of Hinduism.

On Friday, the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court allowed the Bhim Army to hold a meeting of its workers at Reshimbaug ground with certain conditions after the local police denied the permission fearing law and order issue.

Referring to the Nagpur Police's contention, Azad said two ideologies will always clash.

"While we believe in the Constitution, they believe in 'Manusmriti'. This country runs only on Constitution and not on any other ideology. This 'Manuvad' will end in the country only if a ban is imposed on the RSS," said Azad.

Since the RSS runs the BJP, Prime Minister visits the Sangh chief with folded hands and briefs him, he said.

"They talk about Constitution but push the Manusmriti agenda," he alleged.

Azad also accused the RSS of trying to end the reservation system through the backdoor.

"Our people are still to get any positions or posts (in government jobs)...One day, we will have our prime minister and governments in other states. We will give you a reservation. We will give reservation to other sections of the society. We will become givers and not takers," Azad said.

He dared the Sangh chief to hold a discussion on the reservation system.

Azad also appealed to the Shiv Sena-headed Maharashtra government to not allow the NPR in the state "in the interest of the people".

Azad alleged that governments are not allowing protests even for the right cause of people.

"If we take to streets to protest we get punished. However, they do not know that those who are keen to save the nation are not afraid of any punishment, be it lathi, jail or court cases," he said.

Azad is currently out on bail in the case of allegedly inciting people during an anti-CAA protest at Jama Masjid in New Delhi on December 20.

"In future also if we don't get permission, we will knock the doors of the court. We had asked for eight hours of freedom (permission for the Bhim Army meeting on Saturday) and the respected court (the Bombay HC) allowed us three hours. We respect the court, three hours are enough," he said referring to the HC's order on Friday.

Azad said they have called for a Bharat Bandh on February 23 on the CAA-NRC-NPR issue.

During his speech, he also referred to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's reported statements.

"I will not give statements such as those given by UP CM Yogi Adityanath about bullets. He had said 'joh boli se nahi maanega woh goli se maanega'. Fire bullets at us," he said.

"You shoot innocent people, but remember BJP, your government will change someday and when that happens, we will take revenge for every single atrocity.

"You are indulged in crime. Constitution says everyone enjoys equal rights. As per Constitution, any crime, be it committed by a common man or a member of the executive or legislative, by a home minister, by a CM or even by a prime minister, it is punishable," he said.

Azad further said that when the government of Bahujans (common people) comes to power, criminals will not be spared.

"I promise this to my people. People are real owners (of democracy) who have taken to streets. We were talking about jobs, healthcare, corruption, education and security, but they made the entire nation stand on roads just like the note ban.

"There only intention is to ban votes of those who are anti-BJP," Azad alleged, referring to protests in various parts of the country against the CAA-NRC-NPR regime.